RADIO
Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen Exits Preseason Game With Lower-Body Tweak
Buffalo Sabres goaltender Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen (lower body) exited early from Saturday's 3-1 preseason loss to the Pittsburgh Penguins. He was pulled a few minutes into the third period. Luukkonen had a solid performance, stopping 15 of 17 SOG. Colten Ellis finished the game in Luukkonen's place. Sabres head coach Lindy Ruff said Luukkonen left due to a "lower-body tweak." This doesn't sound serious, but it's worth monitoring for fantasy managers, especially since Alex Lyon (upper body) is already unavailable. Ultimately, Ellis may get the nod to start the season in net for Buffalo.
Source: Sabres.com
Source: Sabres.com
Nico Collins Has a Decent Chance to Return in Week 4
Houston Texans wide receiver Nico Collins (hamstring) has already been ruled out for the second game in a row, but he has a "decent chance" to return for Sunday's Week 4 contest against the Dallas Cowboys, according to Adam Schefter of ESPN.com. Collins has been sidelined since the practice week following Houston's season opener. The 27-year-old was impressive during that Week 1 contest, catching seven of 10 targets for 75 yards and one touchdown. Collins and his fantasy managers will be eager to put this injury behind him, especially if it means he's fully healthy and can return to his WR1 form in fantasy football. The Texans' offense has endured its fair share of struggles over the last year-plus, but the unit always seems to be playing at its best when Collins is on the field and showing off his extremely strong rapport with quarterback C.J. Stroud.
Source: Adam Schefter
Source: Adam Schefter
Fred VanVleet Faces Early Minutes Limit
Houston Rockets guard Fred VanVleet (knee) isn't expected to play both ends of back-to-backs to begin the season, while any minutes restriction will depend on how he progresses through training camp, according to head coach Ime Udoka. The 32-year-old missed all of last season after tearing his right ACL during an offseason workout. In his last healthy campaign, VanVleet averaged 14.1 points, 5.6 assists, 1.6 steals, and 2.7 threes while shooting 37.8 percent from the field. The steals and perimeter shooting still offer fantasy value, but the early workload management lowers his volume. Reed Sheppard and Marcus Smart could see additional ball-handling opportunities whenever VanVleet sits.
Source: Will Guillory
Source: Will Guillory
Jake Sanderson Makes Precautionary Exit
Ottawa Senators defenseman Jake Sanderson (undisclosed) didn't complete Saturday's preseason finale against the Montreal Canadiens. Sanderson has been dealing with an undisclosed injury in training camp. There was good news before Saturday's game, as Ottawa announced Sanderson would play, but he made an early exit. Sanderson logged 13:22 of ice time and registered a power-play assist. After the game, the team said Sanderson left for precautionary reasons. This is a good sign that he will be available when the real action starts. The Senators open their 2026-27 campaign on Oct. 2 against the Toronto Maple Leafs.
Source: Sportsnet
Source: Sportsnet
Puka Nacua Could Return Next Week, Surgery Still an Option
Los Angeles Rams wide receiver Puka Nacua (groin) "could return as soon as next week against the Eagles," according to Adam Schefter of ESPN.com. Functionally, Nacua is capable of playing, but he has lacked explosiveness while recovering from his injury. Schefter notes that the Rams believe this is a short-term injury and expect to see Nacua back sooner rather than later, but at the same time, they won't rule out the possibility of surgery if he doesn't recover as smoothly as expected. There still seems to be plenty of moving parts here, and Nacua's injury status is far from straightforward. The fact that the Rams have yet to rule out surgery is quite worrisome for fantasy managers, as any sort of operation would likely lead to an extended absence for the superstar receiver. Nacua caught five passes for 74 yards in Week 1, ranked as the overall WR1 in PPR leagues last year, and is a must-start in all formats when healthy. Davante Adams has stepped up as quarterback Matthew Stafford's favorite target in Nacua's absence.
Source: RotoBaller
Source: RotoBaller
Steven Adams Expected to Sit One Leg of Back-to-Backs Early
Houston Rockets center Steven Adams (ankle) isn't expected to play both ends of back-to-backs to start the season, according to Will Guillory of The Athletic. Head coach Ime Udoka added that any minutes limit will depend on how Adams progresses through training camp. The 33-year-old underwent season-ending left ankle surgery in January after averaging 5.8 points and 8.6 rebounds in 22.8 minutes across 32 games. His 4.5 offensive rebounds per game remain his biggest fantasy calling card, but the early workload management will limit his volume. Clint Capela could see additional backup-center work whenever Adams sits.
Source: Will Guillory
Source: Will Guillory
Colby Parkinson Trending Toward Playing in Week 3
Los Angeles Rams tight end Colby Parkinson (knee) is "trending in the right direction" to play against the Denver Broncos on Sunday Night Football in Week 3, according to head coach Sean McVay (via Adam Schefter of ESPN.com). The veteran tight end was officially listed as questionable entering this weekend, and it's a little surprising to hear the Rams are optimistic about his status after he missed all three practices this past week. Assuming he does suit up, he'll likely operate as the No. 2 tight end behind Terrance Ferguson once again. Parkinson has three catches for 21 yards so far, but on a more encouraging note, he has played at least 70% of the snaps in each of the Rams' two games. With that said, his role behind Ferguson will drop him outside of the top 30 tight ends in RotoBaller's latest fantasy football rankings for Week 3.
Source: Adam Schefter
Source: Adam Schefter
Myles Garrett Faces a Six-Week Timeline to Return After Surgery
Los Angeles Rams superstar defensive end Myles Garrett (knee) faces a six-week timeline for his recovery after undergoing knee surgery earlier this month, according to Ian Rapoport of NFL.com. Garrett made his Rams debut back in Week 1 against the 49ers, but he was clearly playing injured, and it didn't take long for the team to place him on injured reserve. Now, it looks like he'll miss more than the minimum four games, as surgery will sideline him through at least the end of October. Losing Garrett, who had 23 sacks and three forced fumbles last season, is a crushing loss for the Rams, but their defense is equipped to handle his extended absence and continue to play well in the meantime. The Rams D/ST ranks 12th in fantasy scoring this year and will be a must-start unit once Garrett does get back in action.
Source: Ian Rapoport
Source: Ian Rapoport
Michael Pittman Jr. Expected to Play in Week 3
Pittsburgh Steelers wide receiver Michael Pittman Jr. (foot) is expected to play in Sunday's Week 3 contest against the Cincinnati Bengals despite being listed as questionable, according to Adam Schefter of ESPN.com. Pittman missed last Sunday's game due to the foot injury, and he caught three passes for 58 yards on an 88% snap share back in Week 1. Similar volume should bode well for Pittman, who could end up as one of Aaron Rodgers' go-to targets on Sunday afternoon, especially if cornerback DJ Turner shadows DK Metcalf. The 28-year-old ranks as a worthwhile WR3/flex option for fantasy football managers in Week 3.
Source: Adam Schefter
Source: Adam Schefter
Caleb Williams Out 3-4 Weeks With Grade 2 Hamstring Strain
Chicago Bears quarterback Caleb Williams (hamstring) has been diagnosed with a Grade 2 hamstring injury, according to Adam Schefter of ESPN.com. Schefter also reports that the former No. 1 overall pick is expected to miss three to four weeks. Williams exited early last Sunday against the Minnesota Vikings, and it turns out the injury will sideline him through mid-October, at the earliest. That's tough news for fantasy managers to swallow, but at least it sounds like he'll be able to avoid a stint on injured reserve. Williams is a mid-range fantasy QB1 when healthy, as evidenced by an electric Week 1 performance in which he racked up 269 passing yards, 65 rushing yards, and four total touchdowns. As long as Williams remains sidelined, we'd expect to see the Bears start Tyson Bagent (concussion) at quarterback if healthy, or Case Keenum, either of which will lower the fantasy ceiling and floor for players like Luther Burden III, Rome Odunze, and Colston Loveland.
Source: Adam Schefter
Source: Adam Schefter
Jaylen Warren Expected to Play Against Bengals in Week 3
Pittsburgh Steelers running back Jaylen Warren (shoulder) is expected to be active for Sunday's Week 3 contest against the Cincinnati Bengals, according to Adam Schefter of ESPN.com. Warren had been listed as questionable after logging a limited practice on Friday. The 27-year-old has a chance to take on a substantially larger role Sunday after teammate Rico Dowdle (toe) was ruled out. Warren has handled modest volume this year, but his pass-catching contributions have allowed him to score at least 9.7 fantasy points (PPR) per game despite failing to find the end zone so far. His ceiling is substantially higher with the backfield essentially all to himself, and he's the overall RB16 in RotoBaller's latest fantasy football rankings for Week 3.
Source: Adam Schefter
Source: Adam Schefter
Zay Flowers a Game-Time Decision for Week 3 at Dallas
Baltimore Ravens wide receiver Zay Flowers (hamstring) is a game-time decision for Week 3 and will participate in a pregame workout to determine if he's able to play, according to Adam Schefter of ESPN.com. Schefter noted that "the team doesn't sound as if it is counting on him playing." Flowers has been sidelined ever since injuring his hamstring during the middle of an explosive Week 1 performance in which he caught five passes for 150 yards and one touchdown. Rashod Bateman stepped in as Lamar Jackson's No. 1 receiver last week, and it sounds like there's a very real chance he might have an expanded role again in Week 3. If Flowers does manage to suit up, there's a chance his role could be limited, but he'd still be worth starting as a high-end WR2 with WR1 upside.
Source: Adam Schefter
Source: Adam Schefter
Brock Bowers Expected to be Active for Season Debut on Sunday
Las Vegas Raiders tight end Brock Bowers (knee) is expected to be active for Sunday's Week 3 contest against the New Orleans Saints, according to Jeremy Fowler of ESPN.com. Bowers had been listed as questionable but is on track to make his season debut this weekend, barring a setback. The 23-year-old has struggled to stay healthy since his rookie campaign in 2024, when he ranked as the overall TE1 with 112 catches, 1,194 yards, and five touchdowns. There's no question that Bowers is capable of returning to his rookie form, but he just needs to stay healthy. He'll look to get his season started on a positive note Sunday, presumably without many limitations in terms of total snaps. The 23-year-old ranks as the overall TE4 in RotoBaller's latest fantasy football rankings for Week 3.
Source: Jeremy Fowler
Source: Jeremy Fowler
Mike Evans Plans to Play on Sunday Afternoon
San Francisco 49ers wide receiver Mike Evans (hip) "plans to play" in Sunday's Week 3 contest against the Arizona Cardinals, according to Jeremy Fowler of ESPN.com. Evans opened the practice week with a pair of absences, but he returned in a limited capacity on Friday, which was seemingly enough to get him ready for Sunday's game. He will continue to operate as the 49ers' No. 1 wide receiver and one of Brock Purdy's favorite targets in the passing game. Evans will look to replicate his performance from his last fully healthy game in Week 1, when he caught six passes for 49 yards and one touchdown. There are plenty of mouths to feed in this Niners offense, but he actually doesn't have too much competition at the wide receiver position after De'Zhaun Stribling (ankle), Demarcus Robinson (ankle), and Christian Kirk (calf) were all placed on injured reserve.
Source: Jeremy Fowler
Source: Jeremy Fowler
Arizona QB Noah Fifita Has Second Straight Four-TD Game
Arizona senior quarterback Noah Fifita threw four touchdown passes for the second consecutive game in Arizona's 34-24 win over Washington State. Arizona's offense has focused more on the passing game in 2026 behind their senior leader. Fifita has 11 touchdown passes and two rushing touchdowns in four games. He is also averaging 282.8 passing yards per game. Fifita is 12th in fantasy points in Yahoo! leagues, but is still available in 93% of leagues. Chances are that he is outperforming your fantasy QB, and he likely has an easier schedule.
Source: ESPN
Source: ESPN
